Forging Links

June 14, 1987

All too often, dealing with growth problems in this county has meant making mistakes into a chain of similar links. Now and then, though, that chain is broken and a new one, of brighter links, is started.

A new chain is in the making around Oviedo, where government and developers are working to solve traffic problems. They have come up with a great common- sense solution. Now, others in that area want to add their links to the chain.

Have at it.

Oviedo is requiring developers to pay some traffic impact fees up front, rather than in dribbles as homes are occupied over five to 10 years. Once that is done the city must commit big chunks of that money to single projects, rather than spreading it among developments.

The result has been construction of major roads now, before homes generating their traffic are even out of the ground.

So far there have been two links of the new chain. Lockwood Road, a north- south dirt trail along Oviedo's east side already is being changed to four lanes of pavement. And Mitchell Hammock Road, a now-and-then east-west street through Oviedo will be four lanes within a year.

Wisely, other developers are lining up to add more links, including extending Lockwood south to the county line, and a road connecting Lockwood with Alafaya Trail.

A developer may pay as much as $2 million years early, but this system means heading off traffic problems. Around Oviedo, where thousands of new homes are being built, that can be a distinct sales advantage.

The Oviedo Plan came about after the city and its largest developer agreed that new style links were needed in the solution chain and persuaded the county to join them.

One of the nicer things to come with the new chain has been other developers following suit. A welcome sight, indeed.